(Operation Number 54524)
LOAN AGREEMENT
(Novi Sad Solar-Thermal Plant Project)
between
THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
and
EUROPEAN BANK
FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT
Dated 27 December 2024
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I - STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS; DEFINITIONS ......................... 2 Section 1.01. Incorporation of Standard Terms and Conditions ........................... 2 Section 1.02. Definitions ..................................................................................... 2 Section 1.03. Interpretation ................................................................................. 3
ARTICLE II - PRINCIPAL TERMS OF THE LOAN ........................................................ 3 Section 2.01. Amount and Currency .................................................................... 3 Section 2.02. Other Financial Terms of the Loan ................................................ 4 Section 2.03. Drawdowns ................................................................................... 5
ARTICLE III - EXECUTION OF THE PROJECT ............................................................ 5 Section 3.01. Other Affirmative Project Covenants .............................................. 5
ARTICLE IV - SUSPENSION; ACCELERATION ........................................................... 6 Section 4.01. Suspension ................................................................................... 6 Section 4.02. Acceleration of Maturity ................................................................. 6
ARTICLE V - EFFECTIVENESS ................................................................................... 7 Section 5.01. Conditions Precedent to Effectiveness .......................................... 7 Section 5.02 Condition Precedent to Drawdown .................................................. 7 Section 5.03. Legal Opinions .............................................................................. 8 Section 5.04. Termination for Failure to Become Effective .................................. 8
ARTICLE VI - MISCELLANEOUS ................................................................................. 8 Section 6.01. Notices .......................................................................................... 8
SCHEDULE 1 - DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT ..................................................... 9
SCHEDULE 2 - CATEGORIES AND DRAWDOWNS .................................................... 1
LOAN AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT dated 27 December 2024 between THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
(the “Borrower”) and EUROPEAN BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT (the “Bank”).
PREAMBLE
(A) WHEREAS, the Bank has been established to provide financing for specific projects to foster the transition towards open market-oriented economies and to promote private and entrepreneurial initiative in certain countries committed to and applying the principles of multiparty democracy, pluralism and market economics;
(B) WHEREAS, the Borrower intends to implement the project described in Schedule 1 (Description of the Project) which is designed to assist in financing the construction of a large-scale solar-thermal plant in Novi Sad with solar collector fields, a seasonal heat storage, heat pump and an e-Boiler (the “Project”);
(C) WHEREAS, the Project will be carried out by JKP “Novosadska Toplana” Novi Sad, the district heating company of Novi Sad (the “Project Entity”) and wholly owned by the City of Novi Sad (the “City”) with the assistance from the Borrower acting through the Ministry of Mining and Energy in accordance with the terms of a project agreement to be entered into between the Bank, the Borrower represented by the Ministry of Mining and Energy, and the Project Entity on the date about the date hereof (the “Project Agreement” and as defined in the Standard Terms and Conditions);
(D) WHEREAS, the Borrower has requested assistance from the Bank in financing part of the Project;
(E) WHEREAS the Project is part of the Green Cities Framework 3 Window 2 (“Green Cities Framework”) and is included the Green City Action Plan (”GCAP”) being developed by the City. Through the GCAP, the City identified, and is currently prioritising, its most pressing environmental challenges with targeted investments and policy actions to address them;
(F) WHEREAS the Borrower (represented by the Ministry of Finance) wishes to borrow, and EBRD wishes to lend up to one hundred and five million Euros (EUR 105,000,000) subject to the terms and conditions set forth or referred to in this Agreement and the Project Agreement. The Borrower retains the right to borrow less, following the approval decision of the investment grant by the WBIF;
(H) WHEREAS, subject to approval, the Bank also wishes to make available to the Borrower an investment grant provided by the European Union (“EU”) through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (“WBIF”) in the amount of up to 20% of the total project cost pursuant to a grant agreement to be entered into between the WBIF
and the Borrower (the “WBIF Investment Grant Agreement"); and
(I) WHEREAS, the Borrower acting through the Ministry of Mining and Energy, the Project Entity and the City shall enter into a trilateral agreement on or around the date of this agreement for the purposes of defining responsibilities related to the
Project (a "Project Support Agreement"). NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereby agree as follows: